Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-06-24
DARK AND BLOODY GROUND.

H#
DARK AND BLOODY GROUND.
The Outlaws OF the County of Rowan,
hentucky-Hts Organization, it's
Crimes and its Ann1hilation.
Louisville, KY, June 22-In the law
less county of Rowan was to-day enact
ed the final chapter in the bloodiest
mountain vendetta known to the his
tory of the state. The elimination was
reached in the tragic end of four desper-
ate men while resisting the law. Craig
Tolliver, the famous desperate, was
the cause of the outraged law being
indicated. To-day's work ends the
succession of tragedies that have been
enacted in that county. Since the be-
ginning OF the Martin-Yolliver feud, not
quite Two years ago, twenty-one souls
have been sent into eternity, beside the
manning and c~rIppling for life of at
least q score, more PERSONS.
In August, 1884, after q heated cleo
ton contest, Cook Humphreys was elect
ed sheriff of Rowan county by AZ ma
lority eve Samuel Goodwin. During
the canvass many anlmosities were en-
gendered, the Martins aliying them
selves with the Humphreys and the
T%olliyers with the Goodwins. Craig
Tolliver, the leader of the latter factions
swore alter the election that Humphreys
should never ride. Rowan county as
sheriff, Since that date life after life
has been offered on the altar of hatred
and bad blood with increasing frequency
despite the best efforts OF the. judiciary
and militia, backed by the strong arm OF
the state government. The names of
the victims in the order killed are as
follows:
solomon Bradley, John Martin,
White Peltrey. B. Candelle, Deputy
Sheriff Baumgsrdnar, Mason Keeton,
John NARROW, John DAYS., Wiley Toll,
yer, asraiifoad employe named Witoher,
Willie Logan, Ben Rayburn, John Day,
Floyd Tolliver, q party whose name is
not remembered, besides the two recent
victims, John B. Logan and W. Ell,
Logan, and to-day's list, Craig TolIives
Bnd Tolliyer, jay TolliVer and Hiram
Cooper.
The light. to-day was at Msorhead be-
tween a sheriT's posse and the ToIiver
gang. Sheriff Hogg, presumably acting
under instructions from the state authori-
ties, hes been for q week organizing a
posse for the purpose of arrestipg Craig
'Toiliver, Tolliver had received intima-
tions Of this and his patty, consisting of
about ten men, were quite .vigilant and
-ent heavily armed. The sheriff finally
decided TO attempt the. arrest of the as
rissins Wednesday, June 20, in the day
time, and to prevent any women, children
or inoffensiye citizens from beng killed
By accident al an early hour this morn
ing people living on the line of the rail
road within two or three miles of More
head on each side OF the town were mott
hed to stop all trains and inform the on
ductors what was going on in Morehead
SO that the passengers and train men
would moi be placed IN danger.
Sheriff Hogg's band of resolute men,
numbering probably more tbsn two
hundred. suddenly appeared at More.
head about 8 O'Clock this evening. A
Gordon was first established around the
entire town in the brush, where the men
could not be seen. The sheriff then en-
tered. the town at the head OF about one
hundred well-armed men. Craig Tolli-
yer and his ten followers, Immediately
retreated to the Cottage hotel, which
they had previously barricaded in such
q name IS to make it quite q formid.
able fortifcation. Sheriff Hogg then
notified Tolliver that he had warrants
for the arrest of all the men implicated
In the killing of the Logan boys, and
asked that they all submit peaeeably to
arrest. Tolllver's reply was that peither
he 10 his men would be arrested, and
that o hundred men could not take them
His party then opened fire on the
sheriff's posse. The fighting va kept
Up probably for two hoprs. The only
ceiaed by one OF the sheriff's
posse. The besieged party finally find
ing things growing too warm, concluded
TO make 9 bold rush for liberty. At they
made the rnsh they were met by a tre-
mendons volLey which killed Craig Toll
liver, Bud Tolliver, Jay Toltiyer and
HiramCooper. They were all shotthrougb
the heart ard died instantly. Craig
Tolliver seemed to have been a general
target, as no was go thoroughly riddled
as to by scarcely recognizable, The
Others of the rang got through safely
but as they approached the brush they
were met by o volley from the outside
Gordon. consisting of q line of men sta.
toned ten or twelve feet apart all around
the town. This vollsy wounded Gate
Tc2liver, a twelye-year-old boy, and
others, ell OF whom were captured but
Gate Tolliver,w who erawled into The brush
and escaped. This brought the battle
to an end, and the slain were gathered
mp and laid cut on the street, where they
we're viewed by the people and the pas
sengers from the train.